NEWS OF THE WEEK
IHE Vichy Government has gone yet a step farther in its decision to " co-operate " with Germany and in so doing act against Britain. General Weygand's visit to metropolitan France and his consultations with Marshal Petain and the Vichy Cabinet have led to no abatement of the challenging attitude to Britain, but rather the reverse. The Cabinet have decided to defend Syria and Tunisia " single-handed " against a possible British attack, and General Weygand, whose reputa- tion is high among army officials in Syria, is believed to have been put in charge of the whole scheme for .defending the French Empire. German officials are reported to have cynically remarked that if Britain attacked Syria that would be between Britain and France. The Vichy Government, having already committed virtually hostile acts against Britain by allowing German planes to operate from Syrian aerodromes, and also, if an all-too-probable report is true, permitting Germans to land in Syrian ports, is now sending French reinforcements to Syria to resist the British in any action they may take to attack Germans on Syrian soil. Vichy has already been warned that we shall attack Germans wherever they may be found. It now threatens to fight us if we do so. This is a long step farther in " co-operation." Vichy is threatening belligerent action on behalf of Germany. It is to be hoped that no undue consideration for this treacherous Government will deter us from using our forces to attack the Germans anywhere, or forestall their attacks.
